Peaches and Cans

Written by Scott Messmore

Still another great attraction near Fisherman's Wharf, is the old Del Monte Cannery, now restored for shopping and fine dining. With three stories of restaurants, shops, bars, cafe's and even a comedy club, the Cannery is a place that

can't be missed during any San Francisco visit. Visitors can stroll underneath 130-year-old olive trees seeking out that perfect pub or great gift store.

Events

The Cannery was founded in 1907 as a canning plant for vegetables and fruits. Its original owners was the California Fruit Company which later became Del Monte. One of the few large areas that escaped complete destruction in the San Francisco Earthquake, the Cannery was operated by Del Monte until 1937. Renovated in the late 1960s, the Cannery is now an historic landmark with more than 30 shops. Among the more interesting shops at the Cannery is the Basic Brown Bear teddy bear shop.Visitors can stuff their own bears anywhere from the 18-inch tall "basic bear" for $28 to a nearly yard-long California Brown Bear for $125. Various hats, uniforms, blankets, pants, shoes and T-shirts are available to create the perfect "Basic Brown Bear". Another great spot to visit is the Lark in the Morning international music shop. Lark in the Morning has dozens of guitars, mandolins, conga drums, harps, violins and oriental gongs on display to the public. After creating your own work of art at the Handmade Ceramic Studio, stop by Jack's Cannery Bar to sample some of the 110 beers on tap. Burgers, beers and chips go along well with the English style bar brought to America by William Randolph Hearst.

Hours of Operation and Location

The Cannery provides plenty of events for locals and tourists alike. Every Saturday from 1 to 4

p.m., the North Beach Jazz Festival stages Summer Sessions, a free concert held on the courtyard stage. Summer Sessions play cool jazz on Saturdays during June, July, August and September. On June 18, the Second Annual Day of the Accordion will showcase musicians with the expandable instrument. Part of National Accordion Awareness Month, the concert is from 1 to 5 p.m. During Peach Days in July, the Cannery returns to its roots as the one-time capital of peach canning with a large festival of food, entertainment and children's activities.

The Cannery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, from Labor Day to mid-June. During the summer months, the Cannery is open until 8:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. The Cannery is located at 2801 Leavenworth Street next to San Francisco Bay between the North Beach residential neighborhoods and Fisherman's Wharf. Tourists can visit the Cannery from Jefferson Street, Beach Street and Leavenworth Street. For more information call 415-771-3112 or visit their website at www.thecannery.com.